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The past several years have been a journey for me. Some days are better than others. I have many areas, from my physical fitness level to my budgeting skills (or total lack of either), that still need a good deal of improvement. But my state of mind is immeasurably healthier and happier.

I can’t point to any single moment when I grabbed on to my proverbial bootstraps and pulled myself up. Rather, I look back and see a series of little tricks I learned along the way. Each one was a single step on my personal “journey of 1,000 miles.”

I am not a doctor or a psychologist. I’m just a woman who knows what it is to sit on the floor and sob, “I can’t do this any more.” The idea of some massive, sweeping change in my life was laughable. I couldn’t deal with big change. I could barely get out of bed some mornings!

But I realized, one by one, I could do these five tiny things. In doing so, the sun started to shine just a little brighter in my world. Looking back, five tiny things amounted to some fairly massive, sweeping change.

1) Silence the voices.

We all have negative voices in our heads. I have found that no amount of logic can defeat them. It’s like arguing with your inner 2-year-old. You’ll be beaten down by endless repetition and sheer volume. Instead of arguing, re-direct. When that voice in your head says, “You don’t have enough. You’ll never be able to get that. Theirs will always be nicer than yours,” start making a thankful list.

You probably won’t be feeling it at first. Grumble the words if you must. Write them down if that’s easier. At one point I covered an entire wall of my bedroom with paper and filled every inch with things I was thankful for.

Photo credit: The Sometimes Crafter via Flickr

Sometimes I really had to stretch. “I’m thankful for indoor plumbing. I’m thankful that someone invented fuzzy socks. I’m thankful that I’ve never been exposed to the ebola virus.” Find something. Then find one more. And another. Once you start listing just keep going for as long as you can.

In time, you’ll find it gets easier to think of things that you are genuinely thankful for. The more you think of those things the more aware you become of how good you really do have it.

Likewise, when “the voices” start telling you all the reasons you should worry about something that might go wrong, silence them by talking to yourself about this moment. All manner of things might happen tomorrow but rightnow I am healthy and safe. Right now I am OK. I can’t know what’s going to happen in the next hour but I know that in thismoment I am OK. Anxiety and panic aren’t logical so you’ll never be able to argue it away. Re-direct those voices.

2) Focus on just one thing.

Photo Credit: Francesco Decci via Flickr

The thought of cutting every one of your favorite foods from your diet and running 10 miles a day seems laughable when you’re 100 pounds overweight. However, the idea of switching from soda to iced tea may be manageable.

You might not be able to conceive of ever having the time to organize your whole house but maybe you can clean off the dining room table and vow to keep that one surface clean from now on. You’ll find it extraordinary how one step in the right direction leads to another.

3) Own your mistakes.

Photo Credit: Chris Hunkeler via Flickr

Admit your bad choices.LEARN FROM THEM! Share them so that others can learn too. Ask for help in dealing with the consequences if you can’t handle them on your own. Hiding and lying and worrying are exhausting. Face up to whatever is haunting you. Deal with it.

Know that it may take a while. It probably won’t be all sunshine and roses. But it probably won’t be anywhere near as terrible as you’ve made it in your head. Once you’ve taken care of business you’ll be free from that weight on your shoulders.

4) Accept that “different” is OK.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Comiskey

Averages are just statistics. People are unique individuals. In child development any growth chart will tell you that the average baby will walk at 12 months. The same chart will note that such a statistic is basically meaningless. Children develop at their own pace.

We’re willing to accept that truth about babies but we fail to apply it to our own lives as adults. If you are a stanch literalist in a room full of poets your way of thinking isn’t wrong. It’s just different.

Don’t hide your differences! They are your greatest contributions. When those poets need help balancing their checkbooks you’re going to be the most important person they know.

5) Acknowledge all of the emotions.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Comiskey

No one is, or should be, happy all the time. It’s OK to be sad, angry, hurt, or lonely.

Someone much wiser than myself once told me, “Your emotions are like the gauges on the dashboard of your life. It’s good to know what they’re telling you but if you put all your focus on them you’re going to crash and burn.”

All sorts of valuable information comes from paying attention to all of your emotions. Just don’t let your emotions be the ruling force in your life. (Refer to trick #1.)

It is so important to be physically fit but it is just as important to nurture your state of mind. I hope these tricks that were so helpful to me are helpful to you as well!

Elizabeth Comiskey has a true passion to care for the planet, promote world peace and raise her children to be productive citizens. She’s also a normal working mom – exhausted and constantly pressed for time – so she seeks out the most efficient possible ways to do these things. Her blog, Lazy Hippie Mama, was born of her certainty that she couldn’t possibly be the only one who cares a great deal about improving the world around her and connecting with others in meaningful, inspiring ways but lacking in time and energy. Visit her blog, Lazy Hippie Mama or join her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.